A complaint that Boris Johnson's deputy mayor for policing and crime, Stephen Greenhalgh, may have engaged in criminal conduct while he was leader of the Conservative flagship council of Hammersmith and Fulham has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

The Greater London Authority's monitoring officer, who is responsible for ensuring that the GLA, its members and officers comply with the law, informed the complainant on Monday that under regulations applying to elected local policing bodies his complaint:

falls with the statutory definition of a "serious complaint": a qualifying complaint made about conduct which constitutes or involves, or appears to constitute or involve, the commission of a criminal offence. As a consequence...I am obliged, today, to refer your complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission

The complaint relates to Greenhalgh's close involvement when Hammersmith and Fulham leader with the proposed redevelopment of a vast, 77-acre site in the Earls Court area of inner west London by the property giant Capco.

The Earls Court project foresees the demolition of the two Earls Court exhibition centre buildings along with 760 homes, and their replacement with a new "urban quarter" comprising 7,500 dwellings and a promised 12,000 new jobs. It has attracted fierce opposition from non-Conservative politicians, the events industry and organisations representing residents of the threatened homes, which make up two neighbouring estates, opposed to their demolition. The complaint to the GLA, which the IPCC will now consider, was made by Jonathan Rosenberg, community organiser with the anti-demolition campaign.

Last September local police were handed a dossier arguing that between late 2010 and the summer of 2012 officers of the council had promised an "early movers list" or "VIP list" of residents preferential treatment in the allocation of replacement homes if they gave their backing to the estates' being knocked down. The dossier argued that offering such inducements would amount to the offence of misconduct in public office. (I've looked into some of those claims here, here, here and here.) In October, the council asked investigators from the accounts Deloitte to look into the "VIP list" claims, having previously refused to do so.

Greenhalgh was a passionate advocate of the Earls Court project during his time as Hammersmith and Fulham leader, which stretched from 2006 until he stepped down last spring when he became Johnson's policing deputy. The previous February he had described the Earls Court scheme to the Guardian as "the best deal in the history of redevelopment in London."

I've asked the Mayor's office for a response to the GLA's referral of the complaint against Greenhalgh to the IPCC. A statement is being prepared and I will add it to this article as soon as I receive it.

Update, 15 January: The mayor's press office sent me the following statement at 10:37:

This matter stems from Stephen Greenhalgh's time as leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The matter is the subject of an independent investigation commissioned by the Council and carried out by Deloitte's. We understand Mr Greenhalgh is not being investigated as part of this process. When these allegations, which Mr Greenhalgh has consistently said are politically motivated, came to light, Mr Greenhalgh offered his full co-operation to the Council.

The matter has been referred to the IPCC by the GLA's Monitoring Officer in line with standard practice because it falls into the category of a 'serious complaint" under the regulations. For the avoidance of doubt the monitoring officer is not and has not investigated or judged the matter, he has simply referred it because he is obliged to do so under statutory regulations. The IPCC has made no decision on whether to investigate the matter. Any further questions should be addressed to the IPCC and Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

The IPCC expects to decide quickly whether to investigate the complaint - I'm told that these decisions are usually made within days at the most. Its options are to pass the matter back to the GLA, get its own, independent investigators to look into the matter or order a police force other than the Met to do so under IPCC management.

Update, 15 January: Stephen Greenhalgh has issued his own statement through the mayor's press office:

I am immensely proud of my record as Hammersmith & Fulham Council Leader. These baseless allegations are politically motivated. I refuse to be distracted from my important role as Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.

More of my coverage of the Earls Court project controversies here and here.

Update, 15 January: London Assembly Labour group leader Len Duvall has called for Boris Johnson to suspend Stephen Greenhalgh if the IPCC decides to investigate the complaint against him. Here's his statement in full:

We are deeply concerned by the news that Boris Johnson's Policing Deputy has been referred to the IPCC over allegations of misconduct in public office while he was leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council. Due to the seriousness of these allegations we feel that if the IPCC decide to formally investigate this matter then the Mayor should suspend Mr Greenhalgh from his position of deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. Further, we understand that a file has been passed by local campaigners to the Metropolitan Police to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed.

Mr Greenhalgh occupies a very senior position within the Metropolitan Police. He is responsible for maintaining the highest standards in our police service and should be beyond reproach. This type of alleged behaviour is completely unacceptable and if these allegations turn out to be true then the Mayor needs to set an example and remove Mr Greenhalgh from his position permanently.